Patriots notebook: Brown could suit up for Monday night game

Thursday

Nov 29, 2007 at 12:01 AMNov 29, 2007 at 9:00 AM

Doctors’ orders were followed. Now, Troy Brown is following the head coach’s orders.

Glen Farley

Doctors’ orders were followed.

“I came in here and just did what I had to do, and did what I was asked to do – going to get treatment, rehabbing, whatever it was,” the New England Patriots’ Troy Brown said Thursday. “I never really worried about what was going to happen in the future. I was just worried about getting through the day that I was in and looking forward to the next game.

“(The future’s) something that is out of my control and something that I can’t worry about – things that I have no control over. I was just taking care of my business and doing what I had to do.”

Now, Brown is following the head coach’s orders.

Activated from the physically unable to perform list on Tuesday, Brown, who was nursing a knee injury, is preparing to perhaps suit up for his first game of the season when the Patriots travel to play at Baltimore on Monday night.

“Bill (Belichick) saw enough to activate me,” Brown said. “I feel decent. I feel good. It’s up to him and whatever he decides to do with me, I’ll just take it from there.

“Whatever my role is, whatever the coaches ask me to do, I’ll do it,” Brown said. “It’s the same thing that it has been in the past. Whatever I’ve been asked to do, I’ve been ready to step up and do it.”

That approach has served this Patriot well.

With 15 years of service to the team, Brown is tied with Julius Adams, second only in franchise history to Steve Grogan’s 16 seasons with the organization.

With 557 career receptions, the 36-year-old Brown stands as the Patriots’ all-time leader in that department. He is also the franchise’s all-time leading punt returner, topping the team in both returns (with 246) and yardage (2,570 yards). With three punt returns for touchdowns, he shares the franchise mark in that department with Irving Fryar.

Now, Brown is anxious to contribute more numbers to the Patriots’ cause.

“The competitive side of me wants to be on the field and out there competing with those guys, but I was in this situation and there was nothing I could do about it,” Brown said. “All I can do is do what I can do and let the rest of it (fall) into place.”

Still no Faulk

Patriots running back Kevin Faulk (thigh) missed his second straight day of practice Thursday.

Patriots rookie safety Brandon Meriweather recalled the Sean Taylor, the late Washington Redskins safety, as a mentor of his at the University of Miami.

The 24-year-old Taylor died early Tuesday morning after being shot during an apparent intrusion at his home in Palmetto Bay, Fla.

“He helped me with everything,” Meriweather said Thursday. “He helped me with taking my game from a C to a B. He did everything for me when I got there. I didn’t know the playbook. He’s the one who sat me down and helped me learn the playbook and all the little things.”

Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis, another Miami product, conducted his scheduled conference call with the New England media Thursday, but admitted he is struggling with Taylor’s death.

Lewis refused to discuss his relationship with Patriots linebacker Adalius Thomas after the two exchanged words through the media earlier this year.

“Guys, look, I’m totally sorry, but there’s no way I can,” Lewis said. “I just lost one of my closest friends and we’re talking about me and Adalius? Wow. I don’t understand that and that’s why I didn’t want to have this conversation. I don’t understand that.

“We’re about to play the New England Patriots. I’ve never played against A.D. I’m not going to play against A.D. To try to relive something like that when someone loses their life and we’re trying to relive gossip, I don’t have energy for it. I don’t have energy for it. That’s what I’m trying to stay away from.”

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